1. Field of the Invention
The present invention generally relates to the processing of telecommunications between parties in particular, to a multi modal (multi protocol, multi platform) portal for communications.
2. Background of the Invention
There are two basic ways that communication takes place. One way would be direct communication in which people communicate with one another directly, using the same language and mode (i.e. English via voice as we all do in the United States). Another way of direct communication uses text and in English, like instant messaging. Due to advanced technology, our communication and related behavioral modes allow for forms of communication that do not necessarily call for direct, but indirect communication. Indirect communication allows the speaker (communicator) and the recipient (communicates) to use whatever mode and language suits the individual. Using a deaf person as an example, the advent of relay services in the United States and some parts of the world today allow deaf and hard of hearing people to communicate over the phone. Telecommunications relay services (“TRS”) or Dual Party Relay Services (“DPRS”) enable deaf, hard of hearing, speech impaired individuals to employ text telephones for engaging in a communication session over a telephone network with a person who has a conventional voice telephone. Deaf, hard of hearing, speech impaired individuals utilize Text Telephones, such as Telecommunication Devices for the Deaf (TDD), to communicate over the telephone with hearing and speaking parties using conventional telephones. The deaf person typically uses a keyboard on the TDD or TTY, a specially equipped device with a keyboard, to communicate with a relay operator who voices what the deaf person types to the hearing person on the other end over the telephone. A typical TDD has an alphanumeric keyboard and either a full screen or a single line character display and uses BAUDOT or ASCII signaling or both. The phone is the common denominator here. In this situation, the deaf person uses a keyboard to express himself and a display device to understand what is being said by the other party. The hearing person hears what is being said and uses his voice to express himself. The heart of this system is the interface, or protocol converter. The relay operator acts as the interface in this situation. The relay operator actually relays information from one communication protocol to another.